Airports And Train Stations: Homes Of The Angry Traveller

Submitted By esherwood23
Words: 1675
Pages: 7

Erin Sherwood
#6490858
R 11-11:50
Airports and Train Stations: Homes of the Angry Traveller When encountering the Santa Barbara Airport and the Amtrak Station for the first time, one is often in awe of the intricate design of each building. Unlike many other airports or train stations throughout the US, the two main transportation centers in Santa Barbara are built in a way that is very aesthetically pleasing. At first, one might think that the thought behind the distinct architecture of the buildings was purely to preserve the history and culture of Southern California and the era of the missions. While this may have been the original motivation for the design of the airport and train station, I have come to observe another function of the extreme attention to detail and intriguing style of the buildings. The underlying purpose behind the extravagant and unnecessary ornamentation of the airport and train station is to distract the incoming visitors from the frustration, anxiety, and long periods of waiting that come with travelling. The effort to subconsciously distract disgruntled travellers from their frustrations is very helpful when it comes to dealing with complaints and problems customers may have. If a customer is distracted by something, for example, the beautiful architecture of the building, then they are more likely to approach a hitch in their travel plans with a calm disposition. The Santa Barbara Airport and Amtrak Station are both built in the Mission Revival Style of architecture. This style is very common throughout Santa Barbara and southern California because it highlights the architecture from the earliest settlements of southern California. There are several defining characteristics that distinguish the Mission Revival style from other styles of architecture. Many of these key features can be found throughout both the airport and the Amtrak station. First, a very basic characteristic of both the original missions and buildings constructed in the Mission Revival style is the use of stucco to coat the outer walls. The stucco was intended to protect the adobe walls from the rain in order to maintain the sustainability of the first mission settlements. The walls of the airport and the train station are both coated in stucco, which ties the buildings to the era of the missions. While the stucco may still be used to protect these buildings from the rain, it may also be used to make a new building appear equivalent to the older missions. Another characteristic of Mission Revival Style is a clay-tiled roof that often extends beyond the walls into overhanging eaves that serve as an awning for visitors and as further protection of the adobe walls from the rain. The eave is very conspicuous at the train station because it protrudes completely over the drop-off area of the building. At the airport, however, the eave is much less dramatic, extending only a few feet from the walls. This may be because the airport has more room inside for travellers to wait, whereas the train station is smaller and, on busy days, requires some people to wait outside. Also, the airport has covered walkways to board the planes, while the train station is positioned on an open platform, with the only protection from the rain being the overhanging eaves. Mission Revival Style also features several arches in the doorways and windows of buildings. The arches are very distinct in the train station, serving as the modes of entrance into the building. On the other hand, the airport consists of one large arch at the entrance of the building. While it seems the airport strays slightly from the traditional mission design, the mission structure is still very evident in the formation of the building. Finally, a key characteristic of Mission Revival Style is the curved or shaped parapet that extends up from the wall in some places. At the entrance of the train station, one can clearly see the decorative top of the arch with the date of